The present invention relates to a shaft arrangement, particularly for transmissions of motor vehicles, having a shaft and at least one component, which is arranged on the shaft and which is to be lubricated and/or cooled by means of a fluid, a fluid feed device being designed to feed the fluid to the shaft arrangement radially from outside.
The components arranged on such a shaft arrangement may be radial shaft sealing rings, rolling bearings, needle bearings or gear wheels, or synchromesh devices of synchromesh clutches, for example. So called injection lubrication is one known way of feeding fluid to such components. Here a fluid is fed axially via ducts in the shaft and fed to the respective components via corresponding radial apertures in the shaft. Such arrangements serve for feeding relatively large quantities of fluid. Since the fluid is generally fed radially outwards from inside, the fluid feed is generally directed by any centrifugal forces occurring.
In transmissions, on the other hand, a known method of supplying components with fluid is by so-called splash lubrication. Here a fluid sump is generally provided, into which rotating components such as gear wheels submerge and in so doing throw up fluid for fluid supply purposes.
With this fluid feed method it is difficult to feed fluid into the area close to the outer circumference of the shaft.
The fluid thrown radially outwards is generally caught by drip pans or the like and then returned either directly into the fluid sump or to a pump for the injection lubrication.
If the component to be supplied with fluid is a shaft sealing ring, it must be ensured that its sealing lip resting on the shaft does not run dry. Known forms of provision for this are grease deposits, for example, or so-called labyrinth seals.
If the component is an idle wheel, for example, it is generally likewise difficult to supply its idle wheel bearing with fluid by means of splash lubrication.